Rohrbach

Summary: The Jews of Rohrbach initially lived on the Judengasse, or “Jews’ alley,” where they apparently established their first prayer room. By the early 19th century, local Jews were congregating in a prayer hall at 54 Rathausstrasse (in a Jewish-owned home). The community soon outgrew that hall, and, in 1845, built a synagogue at 35-37 Rathausstrasse; the building also housed a Jewish elementary school (closed in 1876). Nearby, at 49- 51 Rathausstrasse, was the mikveh. Burials were conducted in Wiesloch until 1927, after which the community used the Bergfriedhof cemetery in Heidelberg (Rohrbach was incorporated into the city of Heidelberg that year). In 1937, approximately 30 Jews lived in Rohrbach. On April 1, 1937, the community was disbanded. On Pogrom Night, SA members broke into the synagogue and destroyed the wooden furniture with axes. The broken pieces were piled up along with books and files and set on fire, but the fire brigade, fearing that the fire would spread, extinguished the blaze. The building, however, was demolished at some point before May 1940. At least one Rohrbach Jew perished in the Shoah. A memorial stone was unveiled at the former synagogue site in 1985.

Author / Sources: Nurit Borut
Sources: AJ, PK BW